Crossing Paths
by MelancholyNekos
Summary: Kagome hasn't been to the feudal era in 5 years. But what will happen when the well suddenly lets her back in? Sesshoumaru's life has been the same thing everyday. But what will happen when a familiar miko crosses his path? [SESSKAG]
1. Chapter 1

_**Crossing Paths**_

 _ **By**_

 _ **MelancholyNekos**_

Kagome shifted from one foot to the other as she waited for the light to turn into the walking man so she could cross the street. She clutched the grocery bags closer to her chest and held her breath. This was taking forever. She released the stale air from her lungs and watched as it turned into a white puff of fog in the cold wintry air.

The light changed, and she hurriedly crossed the street, hoping to escape the freezing weather before her toes and fingers went numb and she dropped all the groceries. Again. She fast-walked the rest of the way to her house, purposefully sprinting when passing the shrine, and stopped at the front door.

 _How am I going to unlock the door?_ She thought wearily. Her hands were full. She kicked the door, a parody of knocking politely and yelled, "Souta! Open the door!" She listened to her brother's incoming footsteps, and smiled when he opened the door.

"Did you really have to yell, Onee-chan?" Souta pouted. Kagome rolled her eyes. Souta was really big on complaining, even though he was now 13 years old.

"Just help me with these groceries, please? My arms are going to drop and become food for the cat." Kagome glared at Buyo, who was trying to get some chips off of the counter. She hadn't been around him much, and found he had taken to eating literally everything, even at his old age. Stupid cat.

Souta finally agreed and helped Kagome put away all the groceries. They bustled around the kitchen in silence for a few minutes.

"Souta, where's Mama?" Kagome asked, stowing the fish in the freezer. She heard Souta sniff.

"She's at the hospital, visiting Gramps." Souta squeezed the bread between boxes of cereal. Kagome pulled her lower lip into her mouth and began chewing furiously. Gramps had come down with lung cancer, a little over 6 months ago. The doctors told them that he'd always had it, it just laid dormant in his body for many years.

Gramps was one of the only reminders Kagome had of her Father, always telling her stories about when he was a child. Before Souta was born, when Kagome was about seven, her Father died in a freak car accident. Although she was young at the time, she remembered the day like it was yesterday.

" _Papa, where are you going?" Kagome asked her Father, watching him pull in his winter coat._

" _To the store, Kagome. I know it's late, but if I don't go now, you won't have pancakes tomorrow morning."_ _He smiled at little Kagome, and she smiled back. "Now, have you seen my glasses? I can't find them anywhere."_

 _Kagome shook her head furiously, her pigtails swaying back and forth around her face._

 _Mr. Higurashi sighed and took the keys from its hook in the wall, "Oh well. I can manage without them for one night." He turned to Kagome, "See you later, sweetie. I love you."_

" _I love you too, Papa."_

 _Kagome did not see him later. The next thing she knew, the phone rang and her mother answered it, "Higurashi residence," She chirped. Something that was said on the other end had drained the woman's cheery face of all colour. "We'll be there at once." She said shakily, and hung up the phone._

" _Kagome, we have to go to the hospital right away. It's your Father." She told Kagome. Kagome had assumed he'd merely broken a limb. But when they got to the hospital, a nurse led them to the ICU, and by then, he was already gone, the monitor beside him beeping a mournful flat tune._

 _Shortly after her Father's funeral, they had moved in with Kagome's Grandfather, and Souta was born a scant two months later._

When they were done, Kagome marched upstairs and into the bathroom. She needed a hot bath. Now. She had to do something to distract herself from her depressing thoughts. And she was freezing. She still couldn't get over how cold winters were. She decided that winter was her least favorite season, even if it snowed and made the sacred tree look like it was from heaven.

Kagome slid off her heavy jacket and mittens, and shimmied out of her T-shirt and jeans. Finally, she kicked off her boots and socks and stepped into the warm inviting water. She sunk down until only the top part of her head was exposed, and closed her eyes.

She thought back to all the times she came home after a long journey in the feudal era and sat in the tub, just like this. Sadly, there had been no shampoo in the feudal era. Or body wash, or conditioner. She squeezed her eyes shut to hold back the tears that stung high in her nose. The feudal era, a place she had not traveled back to in five years.

The wish she made on the jewel had made it disappear, yes, but it had also forced the well to pull her to her own time, with no InuYasha, no Sango, no Miroku, and no Shippou. She wondered if they missed her. She wondered what life might be like for them now. At the back of her mind, she knew why the well had taken her back; she had fulfilled her destiny there. She completed the Shikon No Tama, she made it disappear. They all defeated Naraku and his minions.

She didn't have a place in a time to which she didn't belong. She still had her family on the other end of the well, her friends, her school, her future. But she missed being in the feudal era, having a purpose no other human had. She especially missed InuYasha. InuYasha, who badgered her about ramen. InuYasha, who always wanted to protect her. InuYasha, the one she loved so much it hurt to be away from him. Her heart always cried out to him, her whole body aching for him to hold her like he did that last day. To kiss her like he did that last day.

Kagome scrubbed her body and her hair, trying not to think about that. That was the past. Literally. It was 500 years ago, and Kagome shouldn't think about it.

She stepped out of the tub, toweled off, and changed into some pajamas. She decided to think about other things. Like what college she was going to apply to.

She decided not to apply to college this year so she could catch up with her studies, giving how much she missed while she was away. Even though she finished out high school after the well locked her out, she still had no clue what most of the stuff they were working on even meant.

She padded down the hallway and into her room, plopping on her bed and burying her face into her pillow. She tried to busy her thoughts with the concept of college, of a career. Soon, she fell asleep.

00

Sesshoumaru shifted from one foot to the other as he waited for Rin to finish up with her bath. Although he appreciated the fact that it made her smell much better after a long walk, she seemed to take lengthier baths the older she got. He ran a hand through his long silver hair and held his breath. This was taking forever. He wondered how she could take such a long bath in such cold weather. He released the stale air from his lungs and watched as it turned into a white puff of fog in the cold wintry air.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! I'm done!" Rin called, stepping from behind the trees. She held her dirty kimono folded in her arms, and her silky black hair was twisted into a tight coil at the top of her head. How she managed to do that, Sesshoumaru had no idea. He took the kimono from her arms and put it into the pack on the left flank of Aun.

"Very well then," He adjusted the big furry pelt in his shoulder, "We will travel back home today, and I expect we should reach there by tomorrow afternoon."

Rin nodded fiercely, and hopped onto Aun. As they trekked through the forest, Sesshoumaru let his mind wander. Rin had grown in the past 5 years, and was now 15, old enough to be married and taking care of a household. Yet, she still acted like a child. Dependent on him, and eager to follow. Sesshoumaru tried to imagine Rin with a husband. She'd be more like a child than a wife. Oblivious to everything around her, Rin still had the mind of a nine year old.

She often times explored the forest around where they called home now. _Home._ It was a term the youkai still had to get used to. For years Sesshoumaru had been a wanderer, never staying in the same place. But when all the commotion died down after Naraku was defeated and the jewel disappeared, he really hadn't needed to.

After Naraku was defeated, Kaede, the village of Edo's old miko, suggested that Rin stay in the village with the others, in order to live a normal human life. When she was old enough, she'd decide whether to stay or continue her travels with Sesshoumaru. When she had reached the age of 15, only a mere 8 months ago, she proposed something neither the miko nor the youkai had expected.

" _Why don't you stay in Edo with me, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin suggested, her tone excited._

 _Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose, "Rin, if you have not noticed, I am a highly deadly and powerful youkai, and these humans would surely not welcome me." He slid his hands into the sleeves of his kimono. He dared not say that he didn't want to be near so many humans, let alone live with them._

 _The old miko nodded once, "Child, ye should know this by now. These villagers have been tormented by youkai for years."_

 _Rin stuck out her bottom lip in a pout, "But Kaede-sama, InuYasha lives here, and so does Shippou and Kirara, and the villagers don't mind," She looked pleadingly at the two, much resembling an injured puppy._

 _Kaede sighed, "Child, do ye forget that Sesshoumaru-sama is a lord? He has affairs he must take care of, and living in a village full of humans would not go too well with his reputation."_

 _Rin crossed her arms and blew a lock of hair out of her eyes, "_ Fine. _In that case, I'll go with Sesshoumaru-sama."_

 _Kaede stood up with difficulty, "Then come, child, ye have much packing to do." Rin nodded, still obviously upset with not getting her way, and stood up, moving to follow the old miko._

" _I can't wait to see Aun again, and Jaken!" She said._

Ever since then, Rin had hardly left Sesshoumaru's side. Even when Jaken died, even when disease swept over Edo, even when he went on month-long journeys.

"I'm going to sleep, Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin announced, as if it were the most important thing in the world.

Sesshoumaru nodded, and listened as she adjusted herself in Aun's back. In about 15 minutes, her breathing slowed, and light snores came from deep within her throat.

 **Final note: Ahahahha I know this chapter is really short but tbh I changed it up so much over the past two weeks. Originally, Kagome was to still be in the feudal era, and it was gonna be an Inuyasha/Kikyou problem. But that's really common, so I decided not to. I really appreciate reviews. And feedback. So, feel free to criticize.**

 **I do not own InuYasha, and do not make profit off of this fic. All rights go to the almighty Rumiko Takahashi.**


	2. Chapter 2

Kagome's alarm clock beeped. Groggily, she rolled onto her side and slammed her fist on the snooze button. When it beeped shrilly 10 minutes later, Kagome entertained the idea of chucking it out the window. Reluctantly, she sat up and turned off the cursed thing, and walked down the hall into the bathroom.

She leaned over the sink and studied herself in the mirror. Blue-black hair just below her shoulders, wide blue eyes. Messy bedhead. She cringed. _That will have to be fixed_.

She ran a brush through her hair and splashed water in her face. Why did she always have to look so bad in the morning? She huffed at her reflection and walked out of the bathroom, turning off the light. When she entered the kitchen, her mother stood at the stove, humming and frying some eggs.

"Morning Mama," Kagome greeted her mother, sitting at the table and watching her cook happily, even though her only connection to her late husband was wasting away in a hospital room. Kagome rarely saw her mother break down. Kagome marveled at how hopeful she was.

Mrs. Higurashi turned and smiled cheerily at her daughter, "Good morning Kagome. I trust you slept well?" She put the eggs she was frying onto a plate and scooped some rice next to it, setting the plate down in front of Kagome.

Kagome thanked her mother and began to eat. She really would miss her mother's cooking when she moved out. _Moving out._ Away from the sacred tree, the shrine, the well..

Kagome shook her head. _This is a good thing,_ she told herself, _stop being so nostalgic._

Kagome was moving out next week, into an apartment that she would share with Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi. _At least I won't have to worry about the dumb cat._ Kagome finished her food and scrubbed the plate off in the sink.

"Thank you again, Mama!" Kagome said, giving her mother a quick kiss in the cheek. Kagome's mother smiled.

"You're welcome, Kagome."

Kagome got dressed and headed outside to sweep the steps of the shrine, a job she had taken over from her grandfather. Kagome had often wondered why he had always swept the steps merrily, humming as he went. She thought he would get bored, sweeping for hours on end like he always did. But ever since she took over the chore, Kagome found it relaxing.

She grabbed the old broom leaning on the sacred tree, and started toward the top of the steps.

She swept away the dust, the dirt, and the dead leaves that seemed to come from nowhere, even though the tree branches were bare and shed their leaves many weeks ago. She shivered when a gust of cold wind swirled by, nipping her cheek with a cold kiss.

 _Stupid winter, stupid cold, stupid wind, stupid, stupid, stupid._ Kagome silently cursed at the world. She began to sweep the next step, and the next.

When she reached the 4th-to-last step, something caught her eye. A flash of red and silver, just behind a tree. Kagome's breath hitched. _Red, silver, red silver._ Those colours were so familiar to Kagome, etched behind her eyelids when she when she went to sleep, stained in her memory like a coffee spot on a white sheet.

InuYasha wore red, and his hair was silver. Kagome worried her lower lip. _Kagome, you've gone crazy, you're just seeing things,_ She told herself. But something in the back of her mind screamed at her: _What if it's him, what if it's him? Go check! Go check! You'll miss him, and he'll be gone forever!_

Kagome's heart beat wildly, and she dropped the broom, bounding down the steps and heading toward the strong gnarled oak tree where she had seen the brief flash of colour.

She reached the tree and sucked in a breath. It felt like she was 10 again, playing hide and seek with Souta. She rested her palm on the rigid trunk of the tree and peered around it. Her gaze fell onto a red and silver candy wrapper, crumpled between the grass. Kagome fell to her knees, and began to laugh at herself.

How could she think it was InuYasha? If it had been, he would have come to her. If it had been, he wouldn't have darted behind a tree. She stared at the candy wrapper on the ground and picked it up. She began to shred it into little pieces.

She heaved herself back onto her feet and walked to the step she had yet to finish sweeping. She picked up the discarded broom, and finished the step. In 5 years, she hadn't stopped hoping. Something deep in her stomach told her that she would see him again. That they would find each other and live happily ever after with 4 children and grandchildren and -

Kagome mentally kicked herself. It didn't matter anymore. _Move on, move on, move_ on _._ She had to think of now. Of her grandfather, of her mother, of her brother. InuYasha probably found someone else.

She walked up the steps and propped the broom back up against the sacred tree. _So much for a relaxing chore._ When she got inside, her mother had already left to the hospital, and Souta was happily munching on cereal, clad in his school uniform

"Morning, Onee-chan," He said between bites.

"Good morning, Souta." Kagome smiled, "What time is it?" Souta checked the watch at his wrist.

"It's about 7:00." Souta said. Kagome nodded and busied herself with washing the dishes.

"Hurry up then, or you'll be late for school." She chided.

"Yes, _Mama."_ Souta joked. Kagome had to agree with him. Mrs. Higurashi spent most of her time at the hospital nowadays, and although her children did still see her, she was usually busying herself with cooking or cleaning. _Poor Mama._ Kagome frowned. How had all this happened in 6 months?

She heard the chair scrape against the wood floor as Souta stood up. "I'll wash your bowl," Kagome offered, taking the bowl from his hands and plunging it into the soapy water, she scrubbed the bowl furiously. Souta shrugged and slipped his shoes on.

"Bye, Onee-chan!" He called as he grabbed his bag and stepped out the door. Kagome waggled her soapy fingers at him and watched his retreating form. She wondered what it was like to be as carefree as Souta. Aside from Gramps, his only worries were grades and girls. Kagome wiped her hands on a towel and started up the stairs. She still had packing to do.

00

Toukijin's silver blade clashed against the blade of a katana. Sesshoumaru grit his teeth as he pushed against his opponent's blade. Rin watched in the sidelines, the cold silver reflecting in her wide, bright eyes. Rin had been training under Akira, a horse youkai, who had volunteered himself. Now, Sesshoumaru was sparring with him.

Rin's black hair was tied loosely in a ribbon, and she gripped her wakizashi's scabbard. She was watching the two youkai intensely, taking every move, every twist, into consideration. Sesshoumaru had to admit, even as a fifteen year old girl, she was a pretty good warrior.

Sesshoumaru dodged an attack that was no doubt meant to make him mess up. Surprise skittered across his expression before it melted back into one of determination. Sesshoumaru's fingers twitched. He wanted desperately to use his poisonous claws.

"Rin!" Akira called over his shoulder, before charging at Sesshoumaru.

"Yes, Akira-dono?" Rin stood to attention, her hair slipping from her shoulders and falling to her waist. She waited a few beats as the blades clashed together, making an eerie screeching sound.

"Please refrain from fighting like Sesshoumaru-sama." - _Clash. -_ "I have found he is very full of himself."

This time, Sesshoumaru did not fight the urge to use his claws. He sheathed Toukijin and lunged toward the smirking horse youkai, scratching him on his chest. The feel of blood in his claws felt wonderful. It was as if he had just awoken from a deep, dreamless sleep.

"Playing dirty, eh?" Akira asked. Sesshoumaru watched his wound slowly heal. "In that case.." The youkai curled his fingers into a fist, and punched Sesshoumaru across the jaw. The punch had so much force, that the youkai lord flew across the dojo.

"Akira-dono, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin cried helplessly. The youkai began to spar, rather unprofessionally, lunging this way and that. Rin could smell the acrid scent of blood and poison. She wrinkled her nose. The two went back and forth. Punch, scratch, dodge. Over and over.

After much frustration, Rin drew her wakizashi from its sheath, and darted in between the two. She heard Sesshoumaru's black boots skid across the wood floor. Akira froze mid-punch.

"Can you two just stop?" Rin screeched. She re-sheathed her sword and threw it on the floor of the dojo. The clatter of wood in wood echoed in Sesshoumaru's ears. The young girl crossed her arms. "You guys are, what, 300 years old and you still act like children?" She chided.

Sesshoumaru stifled a laugh. _Look who's talking,_ he thought. She whirled around and stomped out of the dojo rather childishly. Akira lowered his fist.

"Akira. You are dismissed." Sesshoumaru informed him. He strode out of the dojo. When he reached the door, he heard the horse youkai mutter.

"It's not like you're perfect, Sesshoumaru- _sama_."

Sesshoumaru turned, "And what is that supposed to mean?" He asked. Akira chuckled dryly.

"Look at who you involve yourself with. A human girl."

"And you volunteered to train her. Excuse me, Akira, but I do not understand." Sesshoumaru slid his hands into the sleeves of his haori.

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer." Akira said. And with that, he left, his katana resting in his shoulder.

Sesshoumaru merely shrugged.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 (aka sucky filler chapter.)**

 **I am soooo sorry about not updating in.. 4 and a half months! I had writer's block. Yes. For 4 months. And I still sorta do, for this fic. So just bear with me. I know this is going a bit slow, but trust me, I'll make the next chapter amazing. And I'll try to make it super long. I might put a few chapters on here today. Just bearrrrr with meeeeeeeeeee.**

 **These characters do not belong to me in any way. They belong to the almighty Rumiko Takahashi and I don't take credit for them and all that good stuff.**

 **Enjoy the sucky filler chapter! 3**

 **~nekos**

Kagome sat in her new room that she shared with Yuka. Two twin beds, a couple desks, clothes strewn everywhere.

They'd only lived here a few weeks and it was already a mess. Now, Kagome regretted choosing to share a room with Yuka. She found out that she was very, very messy. And she was always staying out late and going to clubs. Why couldn't Kagome have roomed with Ayumi? Ayumi, the gentle, kind, nice, and _clean_ one?

Leave it to Kagome to make messes of everything. She laid back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Yuka reminded her a lot of Sango for some reason. Yuka always stuck up for her and was a brave spirit.

Kagome used to think the Yuka was Sango's reincarnation. That was silly, though. They didn't look anything alike.

"Kagome-chan!" Kagome heard Ayumi call from the kitchen, "Can you help me cook something? Hojo's coming over in an hour and I haven't even made dinner!"

Oh, did Kagome mention that Ayumi was dating Hojo? Yeah, and they were _engaged._

Hojo and Kagome had tried dating a few years ago, after the well had locked her out. Turns out it didn't work out. They didn't have anything to talk about, and all Hojo did was give her stuff for illnesses she didn't have. So, they broke up and Hojo and Ayumi started dating. And they hit it off real quick.

"Yeah, Ayumi-chan, I'll be right there!" Kagome stood up and tied her hair into a loose half-bun.

She sauntered into the kitchen and found Ayumi covered from head to toe in flour. The kitchen was a mess and something was burning.

"Um, Mi-chan, what happened here?" Kagome asked, bewildered. She knew Ayumi couldn't cook, but she didn't know she was _this_ bad.

Ayumi gave her a small smile, "Um, I tried to make souffle, because it's his favourite and.." She bit her lip, "I don't have time to make another, and it's just so important to him.."

Kagome came forward and gave Ayumi a hug, "It's okay, Mi-chan, I'll help you, don't worry about it."

Ayumi sniffled and Kagome felt her nod. Kagome let go and began cleaning out the souffle pan. She should just throw it away, but she didn't want to shake Ayumi anymore.

Ayumi began to clean the countertops, "I'm so sorry about this, Kagome, I didn't mean to bother you,"

Kagome shrugged, "I wasn't busy or anything. I was just mentally complaining about Yuka's organisation skills."

Ayumi gave a dry chuckle, "Yeah, she is messy. Whenever she came over for sleepovers, we had to deep clean my room,"

Kagome and Ayumi talked for a while, until the kitchen was clean. Kagome wiped her brow, "All done!"

Ayumi smiled and hugged Kagome, "Thank you so much! I owe you one, okay?"

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Holy crap!" Ayumi shouted, suddenly frantic, "I haven't cooked anything, I'm not dressed, and he's already _here_! Where did the time go?!"

Kagome took her friend by the shoulders, "Mi-chan, calm down, just explain to him. You guys are _engaged,_ he'll understand."

Ayumi nodded, "Okay, thanks Kagome. Um.. Could you..?"

Kagome knew what she meant. She was going to go check on her mom anyways.

"Yeah, of course," She patted Ayumi on her shoulder, slid on some sandals, and headed out the door, waving at Hojo as she went.

She walked down the countless flights of stairs. The elevators were always out of order around here, but she didn't mind. Walking around with InuYasha had strengthened her legs, and whenever she walked a lot, it reminded her of him.

" _Kagome, don't leave me, okay?" InuYasha said, staring at the fire._

 _He'd caught her by surprise, saying that. He was only ever sentimental at night, when they had nothing to lose. When they were alone._

" _Why would I leave you?" Kagome smiled. The one that she reserved for InuYasha._

 _InuYasha shook his head and leaned back against the tree, "I just feel like.. You'll leave. It's a nagging feeling, like, I'm never going to see you again."_

 _Kagome laughed, but it wasn't humorous. What InuYasha had just said sent a ripple of fear through her._

" _I promise, I won't. Swear on my life." Kagome whispered._

 _InuYasha nodded, "Go to sleep, we need to get up early tomorrow."_

InuYasha had been right. Just a couple weeks after that conversation, the well had taken her in and she couldn't go back. She'd tried countless times to go back. And she hadn't stopped. She still tried to jump in every couple of months, like the well would change its mind.

Kagome sat in her car and started the engine. Her mom had got it for her as a going away present. It was used, but it was cute, and she knew her mom worked hard to get it for her. And she was glad she didn't have to walk to the store anymore. She turned out of the parking lot and played a random station on the radio.

00

Sesshoumaru sat under the cherry tree in the garden, staring at the falling cherry blossoms.

" _Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."_

Sesshoumaru should have paid more attention to that. Should have killed Akira on the spot before he laid a finger on Rin.

Sesshoumaru should have sent her off to get married before any harm could come to her. Should have erased the scent of her from the Western Shiro and made her stay in the village of Edo.

When he had awoken the next morning, he couldn't find her. Couldn't pick up her fresh scent of wildflowers and wind.

"Sesshoumaru-Sama! Sesshoumaru-Sama!" He'd heard a servant call. It was Bunko, Rin's personal servant.

"What is it, Bunko?" Sesshoumaru said, trying to sound calm, trying to sound like he wasn't worried about Rin, because she was just a human, and he was a youkai and she wasn't supposed to matter.

"Rin! She has been stolen! She was not there when I came to check on her, and the only other person who is gone is Akira!" She sputtered frantically. Her eyes were wide and her arms were flapping, much like a flustered bird.

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows raised just a fraction. Akira? Surely Rin wasn't dead. He took a sniff. No, he didn't smell blood. He didn't smell her blood.

"She was here last night, yes?" Sesshoumaru asked calmly.

Bunko nodded rapidly, "Yes, M'Lord, I made sure she went to bed and took a bath. She was asleep the last time I saw her!" Sesshoumaru saw that Bunko was wringing her hands and sweating.

"Calm down, Bunko. I will find her. You are dismissed." Sesshoumaru said, already turning and walking away. He had to find Rin. Who knows what Akira has done to her?

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He tried to look on the bright side. If Rin did die, he wouldn't have to look after her anymore, wouldn't have to deal with countless youkai attacks because of her. He wouldn't have to worry about her being in danger.

He wouldn't seem weak to the other youkai.

He tried to convince himself that he didn't need her.

And that's how he ended up here, sitting under this cherry tree, thinking about her. He couldn't go looking for her when he had affairs to attend to. He certainly _wanted_ to, but if he did now, his shiro would be taken over. Rin was his weakness, and Akira knew it.

He made plans to go to Edo and check if maybe, just maybe, she was there. He had business in the small village anyway, so it was a good excuse.

00

Kagome sat in the kitchen with her hands wrapped around a cup of tea. She had to babysit Souta because her mom was at the hospital, and Souta wasn't doing anything today. She barely even got to see her mom, because right when Kagome arrived, her mom was already heading out. She closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet aroma of her tea.

"Onee-chan!" She heard Souta yell from the living room, "Can I go out and skate with Kioshi? I'll be back in a couple hours!"

Kagome opened her eyes and sighed, "Yeah, sure, just don't go anywhere except the park, cause I'll find out, Souta. I've got psychic powers."

"Yeah, okay, sure. I'll be safe, promise." Souta said, coming out of the living room. He had on a backwards baseball cap and an old white t-shirt. He grew up so fast.

Kagome stood up and hugged Souta, "Be careful, Souta. I mean it. We don't have.. We don't have anyone to protect us anymore."

Souta pushed Kagome away gently, "What's gotten into you, sis? You never hug me."

Kagome shrugged and smiled, "I guess I'm in a good mood. Go have fun, okay?"

Souta nodded sharply and went out the door, and Kagome watched him go.

When he walked out of sight, Kagome closed her eyes and slid down to the floor. She remembered when Souta was just a little boy.. Why had she been hit with such a big rush of nostalgia all of the sudden?

She shook her head and got up, running a hand through her hair. She went outside and walked toward the shrine. Every once in awhile, she went out to visit it, to just sit on the lip and close her eyes.

Sometimes, when everything was still, she could almost smell the flowers that always blossomed and grew all over the well back in Edo.

She felt 15 again, sometimes.

She pushed open the door to the shrine and gazed at it.

"Hey, old friend." She said. She must've sounded crazy.

Kagome didn't care.

She sat in front of the well and rested her arms and chin on the lip. She closed her eyes.

"Miroku.. Sango, Shippou, InuYasha.." She muttered, "I miss you guys so much.. I wish.. I wish I could go back and see you again."

Kagome ran her thumb along the splintered wood of the well, as if she could rub it three times and make a wish.

She stood up and laughed at herself. _The well isn't going to take me back_ , she told herself.

 _No use giving myself false hope, is there?_

Kagome pulled the splinters that got stuck in the sleeves of her sweater and turned around.

She took a deep breath and clenched her fists. Then unclenched them. She tied her hair and untied it.

 _Maybe, if I try, just one more time.._

She turned and faced the well.

Sat on the lip.

And jumped.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **I promise you this chapter is gonna be good. And the next chapter? Even better.**

 **The characters in this story don't belong to me unless they aren't in the original anime. All characters that are in the original anime belong to the bootiful Rumiko Takahashi 3**

 **~nekos**

When Kagome jumped into the well, it wasn't really a jump. She just sat on the lip and fell backward. _Yep, that was really smart_ , she told herself. What if it didn't work, and she accidentally killed herself?

She stared up at the receding top of the well and felt a pull at the pit of her stomach.

 _Ah,_ she thought to herself, _There it is. Now, either I'm hallucinating or this is actually happening._

She squeezed her eyes shut and hoped that it was working. Her heart pounded. Her blood danced beneath her skin, and her fingers ached to feel soft, silver hair sliding between them again.

Kagome landed at the bottom of the well softly. She sat up on her knees and stared at the dirt beneath her, digging her fingers under it.

 _Should've packed._

Then, her eyes widened, as if she just realised where she was. Why she came here. She jumped to her feet and felt a surge of adrenaline course through her body.

 _Sango, Shippo, Miroku, InuYasha._

 _InuYasha, InuYasha, InuYasha._

 _InuYasha._

She climbed as fast as she could out of the well, scraping her knees and palms. She threw herself out over the lip and pulled herself over, falling onto the thick green grass.

The thick, green, _cold_ grass.

And Kagome was wearing _sandals_.

She got up onto her feet, already freezing, and sprinted to the general direction of Edo.

"Kaede-san!" She cried, a smile splitting her face. "Kaede-san! It's me, Kagome! I'm back, I-"

She reached Edo, and it looked totally different. How had 5 years changed the village so much?

Kagome slowed to a walk, approaching the village. She rubbed her hands over her arms and shivered.

The village looked smaller. More desolate. It used to be bustling with people. She saw a crowd of people around someone.. She craned her neck to get a closer look and saw a head of silver hair.

She gasped. InuYasha. He was still here!

She broke into a run, shoving people aside to reach him. In just a few short strides, she would be there, in his arms. She barreled into him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I missed you so much, InuYasha, I'm so sorry, I promised I wouldn't leave.."

She felt his fluff and it tickled her cheek. She buried her face in it.

 _Wait. InuYasha didn't have fluff._

She looked up and her face turned beet red. This.. wasn't Inuyasha. Her blue eyes didn't meet bronze ones. Instead, they met a pair of cold, golden eyes.

 _Sesshoumaru._

"I-I'm sorry, you aren't InuYasha," Kagome stammered, pulling her arms back and hugging herself, "If you could.. Just tell me where he is, I'll be right on my way, and I won't bother you! Please don't kill me," Kagome laughed nervously and backed away.

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru was actually curious. He hadn't seen this miko in.. what, 5 years? He'd always assumed she would marry his brother, InuYasha.

He raised an eyebrow, "If you are planning on kissing InuYasha, I may as well inform you that he has gotten married."

The miko's eyes widened and she brought a hand up to her mouth. Sesshoumaru could hear her sharp intake of breath, as if she had just gotten stabbed.

"To who?" She asked shakily. Her voice was muffled from behind her hand.

Sesshoumaru ran a clawed hand through his hair and smirked. He really was enjoying this. This little miko was so dramatic.

"He got married to Amaya, the priestess a few villages away."

Kagome's eyes narrowed and she lowered her hand, "He sure is into priestesses, isn't he?" She said more to herself than to the youkai lord.

Sesshoumaru shrugged and slid his hands into the sleeves of his white haori, "He has not been interested in any appealing ones as of yet," He said cooly.

Kagome's eyes narrowed even more, "I don't even feel like dealing with you. You're just a.. A big show off!" She said, and then she turned, "Please direct me to where he is, and I will be on my way."

Sesshoumaru sighed, "He moved away from here after he got married. Somewhere in the mountains." He cocked his head, "I thought you left."

Kagome turned back around and put her hands on her hips. The lord laughed inwardly. She looked so much like a child.

"I didn't leave by _choice._ The well took me in after we completed the Shikon No Tama, and.." Her voice grew quiet, "It never let me back in."

Sesshoumaru shrugged, "Well, I cannot help you with that. I shall be going now." He still needed to look for Rin, and she obviously wasn't here.

He turned and walked off, and Kagome stood there, dumbly, watching his hair flow behind him in the winter wind.

 _Well,_ she thought, _that was.. Interesting._

Kagome watched until Sesshoumaru turned and disappeared from sight.

Then she turned around and sauntered back into the village. The group that had surrounded Sesshoumaru dispersed fairly quickly. She wondered why they had been there.

She wondered why _Sesshoumaru_ had even been there. Wasn't he a lord, or something?

Maybe Miroku and Sango were still here. She bit her lip. And Kaede..

Kagome would be lucky if Kaede was still alive.

If she was gone, Kagome never got to say goodbye to her.

She never got to say goodbye to anyone.

She walked to the miko's hut, and knocked on the wall.

"Come in," She heard a sweet voice say. Kagome stepped inside.

"Hi, um, I'm Kagome, I don't know if you've heard of me, but, yeah. I haven't been here in 5 years and I need help." Kagome muttered, pulling at the stitching on the hem of sweater.

The girl turned around. She had wide, green eyes and long, black hair.

"Kagome-sama? _The_ Kagome-sama? The one who helped InuYasha defeat Naraku?" She said eagerly. She bounced onto her feet and approached Kagome, inspecting her from head to toe.

"Yeah, that's me," Kagome smiled and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Of _course_ I can help you, Kagome-sama. What do you need?" The young miko asked, her eyes shining brightly, "My name is Miyaki, by the way."

Kagome bowed and then said, "Um, I need help finding Miroku and Sango."

Miyaki tapped her chin, "Miroku and Sango.. Why, they moved to the mountains with InuYasha a few years back, when I was a young girl."

Kagome looked at her feet, "Oh."

Miyaki patted Kagome's arm, "Don't worry, you can find them. I'll give you supplies, if you're up to it."

Kagome looked up again, eager, "If you can spare them.."

Miyaki clapped her hands together, "Of course I can! Now, you just wait right here, and I'll be back." The miko hurried out of the hut and left Kagome in the hut.

She was going to see her friends again.

She was going to see InuYasha.

 _Married,_ She thought bitterly.

Miyaki came back in the hut, a pack in her arms along with a quiver full of arrows and a bow.

"You better stay the night and head off tomorrow morning. Can't let you leave on an empty stomach," She hummed.

Kagome smiled sweetly although the thoughts in her mind were venomous.

00

Kagome awoke as the sun came up. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and for a second forgot where she was.

 _Oh yeah,_ she thought, _I'm in Edo._

Her heart began to thud at an alarming rate when she remembered..

InuYasha. _Married._

Crap. Souta must be wondering where she was. And her mother. And her must be going bit her lip and worried it.

No, her mother must've figured out where she was. She'd cover for Kagome.

Hopefully.

Kagome sat up and saw that Miyaki had neatly rolled up her bedroll and propped it up in the corner. Kagome turned and saw that the young miko was already sitting in front of a boiling pot of stew.

It seemed that stew was the main food in Edo. Everytime she and the rest of her friends came back to the village, they ate enough stew to last a lifetime. Maybe 2.

"Oh, you're awake!" Miyaki smiled at Kagome, who was still barely alert. Kagome nodded in return and threw the covers off of her.

"I'm going to go, um, take a bath." Kagome muttered.

Miyaki nodded rapidly and handed Kagome a traditional miko's outfit. Kagome took it unsurely. It'd been awhile since she'd worn one of these. But hey, it was warm. She ran her hand along the thick fabric of the white haori, and headed out of the hut.

Kagome still remembered where the hot spring was. The one the she and Sango had had so many talks in. She sniffled a little bit and hurried into the forest. _InuYasha's Forest._ The hot spring probably wouldn't be so hot now that it was winter.

As Kagome walked, she scanned the thick woods, searching for any youkai who might be lurking around. She remembered the first time she'd been in these woods alone, when she'd just turned 15. When she'd gotten kidnapped by a group of perverted men. A shiver rippled down her spine, and it wasn't from the cold.

She let her mind drift to Sesshoumaru. Why had he been in Edo? Last time she'd checked, the only human he associated with was Rin. She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut, bringing back the image of the youkai lord.

He'd regrown his left arm. His hair was a little longer. All in all, he looked pretty much the same. But.. He wasn't with Rin. Or Jaken. Kagome wondered what had happened to them. Rin was always following Sesshoumaru around like a lost puppy.

She shrugged. She shouldn't even be worrying about it. There was a 99% chance she wouldn't see Sesshoumaru again anyways. And she shouldn't be worrying about Rin. She was probably Souta's age now, maybe a little older. She was old enough to take care of herself.

She reached the hot spring, and though it was winter, it was still pretty warm.

Kagome set down her clothes and undressed, wishing she would've packed or at least told someone before she made the wild decision to jump. Maybe she didn't because she had a feeling that it wouldn't work.

She lowered herself down into the warm water, immediately soaking her hair with it. She laughed at herself. She was acting like she hadn't taken a bath in 5 years. But, technically, she hadn't taken a bath in 500.

 _Wow, Kagome,_ she thought, _what a genius joke. Too bad you're the only one who gets it._

Kagome sunk down into the water, submerging the rest of her body in its warm embrace. She knew she'd be freezing by the time she got out. She scrubbed furiously at her skin with her nails.

She held her breath and laid back, opening her eyes. The water stung a little, but she got used to it. The sky looked a lot prettier from under the water.

" _Kagome-chan, are you sure Miroku's not spying on us?" Sango asked, looking through the grove of trees suspiciously._

 _Kagome chuckled and pulled her school-uniform top over her head, "Of course not. I swear. I made sure InuYasha kept an eye on him."_

 _Sango nodded and slunk into the bubbling pool of water. She was still on edge from the last time Miroku had peeked on them. Let's just say he'd seen an eyeful._

 _Kagome sat in the spring across from Sango and closed her eyes._

" _Kagome-chan?" Kagome heard Sango say._

" _Mmm?" She hummed. The water was so warm, it almost put her to sleep._

" _Do you think.. Do you think Miroku.. Likes me?" Sango whispered._

 _Kagome opened her eyes and began to laugh wildly. "Likes you? He's crazy about you. It's obvious."_

 _Sango shook her head and smiled, "But you know, he does that with every girl he meets. He even flirts with you sometimes."_

 _Kagome took Sango's hands, "Don't worry about it. He'll come around."_

 _Sango nodded._

Kagome pushed her head up and broke the surface of the water. She missed Sango so much. They'd been like sisters. She wondered if she and Miroku were married. She wonder if they had children.

Kagome stepped out of the water and was immediately hit with extreme shivers. She hurried to get dress, thankful for the thick fabric of her haori and hakama. She pulled on her tabi and slipped her zori onto her feet. Warm, warm, warm. Why did they make clothing so thin in her time?

He got her sweater and jeans and folded them over her arm. She held her sandals in her other hand, and picked her way back through the woods.

00

Sesshoumaru sat under a tree in InuYasha's Forest. He watched as the sun peeked over the horizon, illuminating the village of Edo in a soft glow. He hadn't _truly_ left. He had made an agreement with Kaede before she died of disease that he would protect the small and ever bustling village. Although he could break the agreement at anytime, he felt like he'd be betraying the old miko.

Yes, she was dead, but she had taken care of little Rin up until she turned 15. The youkai lord owed her something, and this was it. Of course, he wasn't at the village _all_ the time. He stopped by every few months. Ever since the youkai in the nearby area had sensed Sesshoumaru in the village, they seldom ever came to attack it, for fear that they'd be ripped to shreds by the powerful lord.

Sesshoumaru tried to remember the last time his claws tore through something other than Akira's flesh. He ached to tear at the disgusting horse youkai until he was nothing but bones and blood.

Sesshoumaru closed his hand and pricked his palm with his venomous claws. He watched as the wounds healed quickly. He did this a few more times, trying to satisfy himself. As if this could quench his thirst for a brutal battle.

The youkai lord closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The miko had been there. Kikyo's reincarnation. Her name was Kagome, he remembered. The one who had plucked Tetsusaiga so easily from inside his father's tomb, as if she was merely picking flowers. Who wagged it in his face and tried to convince him that she was a threat.

For a second, Sesshoumaru had almost been afraid. The sword was so powerful, he wondered what damage it would inflict on him. Then he remembered that she was but a human, and she wouldn't be able to do anything with the fang but try to make herself seem stronger.

Sesshoumaru had wondered why he had never noticed that the miko left. He always assumed she was out collecting herbs or something. He shrugged. She was a human. She was unimportant.

She looked more mature, though. Her body had developed quite nicely. She must be about 20 now. She didn't act mature, however. She still acted just as he remembered. Cowardly and childish.

Sesshoumaru heard a splash nearby. Someone must be taking a bath in the hot spring. He couldn't figure out who it was. The water had washed out their scent completely. It must be one of the village girls. All the men bathed in the bath house that had been erected in the village a couple years ago.

The youkai held a clawed hand out in front of him. The sunlight spilled out over the edges of his palm, almost making it look heavenly. The sun had always intrigued the lord. How it always shone even on a bad day. When he was a young boy, the day his mother left, he wondered how the sun could be shining so brightly on a day so dark.

His mother used to tell him that the sun was an incredibly powerful youkai.

" _Mama, why is the sun always so far away? And so bright?" Little Sesshoumaru asked, sitting in his mother's lap. Kiyomi laced her arms around her son's waist._

" _You see, the sun is a very powerful youkai. She is so powerful that it radiates off her. She has to be far away, because if she gets too close to other youkai, she would burn them. She is incredibly lonely despite her great power. Because she is so lonely, she decided to help people from afar by illuminating their days. Before she was born, every day was dark, with no light at all." Kiyomi said, resting her chin on the crown of Sesshoumaru's head._

" _But Mama, what about the moon? The moon gives us light at night," Sesshoumaru said in a confused tone, turning slightly in the empress's lap._

" _Ah, that is a very good question. You are such a bright little boy, Sesshoumaru." Kiyomi kissed Sesshoumaru's head and he grimaced._

" _The moon gets its light from the sun. She gave him some of her power because he was not a powerful youkai. In fact, he was not a youkai at all. He was a hanyou. The sun took pity on the moon and soon, they both illuminated some part of the day. The moon was the only one who could stand the sun's intense light."_

 _Sesshoumaru nodded. "So, if we are the most powerful youkai, why do we have moons on our foreheads?"_

" _Because," His mother began, "It helps to remind us that we got our power from somewhere. That we are not alone in hard times."_

Sesshoumaru absentmindedly touched the crescent marking that graced his forehead. He got his power from somewhere. And he wasn't alone.


End file.
